레이블이 Region_jeju island인 게시물을 표시합니다. 모든 게시물 표시
레이블이 Region_jeju island인 게시물을 표시합니다. 모든 게시물 표시
The reason why must go to the Jeju Island?  Udo Island is right in there!
 

The reason why must go to the Jeju Island? Udo Island is right in there!

Udo is a small island on the eastern side of Jeju Island, the largest island in Korea.
What’s the charms of Udo island where about 2 million of the 15 million visitors (12 million Koreans and 3 million foreigners) who visited Jeju Island during last year stopped by this small island. What makes so many tourists go from the main island to another small island within Jeju?  
  The ship left from Seongsan port located in the east part of main Jeju reached at the Haumokdong of Udo Is. after about 20 minutes. You may have to grab your hair throughout the road because of the strong wind. I heard that the name of Udo Is. was named because it resembles the lying cow. I paid 6000 won for shuttle sightseeing bus which can get on and off each stop, got on the bus and realized that I surely had come to the place of my wish. People can get off each stop, look around, and get on the next bus again. In the fun explanation of local bus driver living in Udo, the bus was filled with laugh so soon from top to bottom. Are you ready to catch a bunch of happiness?
I got off the first attractions drop at the Geommeolle (Black sands) beach named after the sand is black. It was truly a 'Skill of God' that I went down to the shore and boarded the boat. My travel instinct! To be frank, I hesitated whether to take a boat or not because I couldn’t swim and I became a little nervous. Give my thanks to life jacket which gave me the courage. The geological characteristics of the volcanic island and the beauty of nature had blown away all the fears at once. Strongly recommended! 20 minutes boarding time, 20000 won in Korean cash.
The fault cliff like stacked books(Huhae seokbyeok), the best of top 8 views of Udo island & Udo peak and lighthouses where you can see all of Udo at a glance. This was taken on a boat. 

When the sea water suddenly spew from between rocks, a rainbow appears miraculously
The Dongan gyeonggul cave where big whales once lived.The cave is at the end of this black sands beach and you can enter at low tide. Don't worry. Usually the daytime is at low tide.

Udo is a small island that produces mainly garlic and peanuts because it’s impossible to cultivate rice, is much less developed and much pure than Jeju Island. The residents started to cultivate peanuts from 30 years ago, judging that the soil, intense sunlight and sea breeze of Udo would be suitable for peanut farming. The original seeds were long and large, but when they harvested it, it was as small as it is now. They started to cultivate and manage as a special product considering the rareness. Current residents are thoroughly controlling the seeds, and the Jeju Agricultural Technology Center is giving a lot of support. Ice cream topped with Udo peanuts being produced only in Udo island. It is sold on many different names in the island, but in fact there is no big difference in taste. This peanut is much smaller, harder, savory and rounded than regular. 

Udongbong peak and Lighthouse located at the highest level in Udo. It takes about an hour for round hiking from shopping area of Geommeolle(Black beach) to the peak and those who have a busy schedule or weak physical strength can pass it. Please go up after sightseeing boat because there is physical exhaustion. It is the point where you can see all of Udo, 7 out of 10.
The Biyangdo Island
Biyangdo Is. camping area, one of the most famous places in Jeju Island, where the yellow lighthouse was impressive. A true nomad with a puppy was in a tent when I visited in this spot. Even though it was a cold day! The starry night! Just by even thinking it was so romantic.
The Seobinbaeksa(서빈백사해안) beach with lots of photographers. I couldn’t take my eyes off the stunning crystal emerald water. It became much more famous as a Korean advertising spot of Pocari Sweat. I heard the white sandy beach has been created by the accumulation of popcorn-like red algal nodules instead of sand and it was so impressive to me.


Restaurant Mosillaegi (모실래기) where I came in without thinking and met the essence of fresh seafood and is located in the beside of sandy beach. The food here is just amazing. In addition, the prices are reasonable and the wall was full of reviews by those who had visited before. Including the signature of the very famous chef!
I missed the shuttle sightseeing bus in front of my eyes. I had to walk about 15 minutes from the coast to the harbor. Then I knew. The very right best thing of traveling is to walk! On trips, let’s put down your haste for a while. This moment would not come again.
 



The Daughters of the Sea--Haenyeo Museum(해녀박물관) on the Jeju Island, South Korea
  

The Daughters of the Sea--Haenyeo Museum(해녀박물관) on the Jeju Island, South Korea


“Haenyeo”(해녀). This is the word to refer those female divers who works especially under the sea in Korea. They gather seaweed, abalone, octopus, clams, sea urchin and other sea products. This word has meaning something special melting in their life beyond description itself as just a kind of job. In recent time, we are able to see them in Jeju Island (제주도) only, far away one hour by airplane from the capital Seoul in Korea.
The teenage diving girl is catching abalone.



I didn’t expect big volume of museum for unique female diver.  This museum is located neighboring the small cozy village by the sea. When I grew up, I saw them across the nation wide. But the number of them had decreased little by little because it is very hard job to work under the sea. For this reason, now we are just only able to see them in this island within Korea. The main reason why it remains in this island only is because of the special condition of island and poor environment for life. I surely wanted to visit this small space.

The stone statue of Haenyeo(female diver)
When I entered this museum, symbolic artifact featuring of female divers greeted me. After ticketing, staff guided me to see the video about female divers story on the right side of the information desk. Although it was just only 10 minutes documentary image, it was enough for me to get much more strong impression about them than I expected.

There were female divers through the whole country of Korea till the 1960s. They couldn’t be found out in main land recent time anymore. Jeju Island(제주도) was the most activated area in this country since long time ago. They had to lay specialty to the King and central government during all the former dynasty because this island has been rich in the marine products and it had boasted the best in quality when comparing with other sea fields. In the beginning, men undertook the duty. As time went by, many numbers of men ran away into to the land because they couldn’t tolerate the hard condition in nature and intensity of hard work. From long time ago, this reason resulted in the number of female is more than the number of men, in unique population composition rate in this island. As the results, ladies had managed to take over the economic duty for family as well as preparing of principal products instead of their husband. The social position of them as a significant role to manage in all parts of their society is quite different with other area in this country.
The typical half-sea half-farm village of old Jeju Island

Furthermore, land was so infertile (this island was composed by the several volcanic activities) that they could not cultivate diverse agricultural products and always suffered from food shortage. All that people could do was just to cultivate small amount of grain and agricultural products and to gather the food resources from the sea. Their greatness is just not only in the tenacious hold on life and strong pioneer spirit but also in their wonderful working skills under the sea. They usually started to learn how to swim at the age of seven or eight, skilled up their diving abilities as they grow and became a full-scale woman diver member at the age seventeen to eighteen. They can dive in general fifteen to twenty feet (6 meters) in depth without oxygen tank, sometimes to seventy feet (21 meters) and for over one minute even to three minutes.
The working female diver without any equipment under the sea and she is wearing old type swim suit just for made by cotton cloth 

When they work, they do without using any underwater diving equipment like oxygen tank in unique. It couldn’t be done without invincible spirit of great courage, long experiences and accumulated technology about sea. It was the job beyond job for their life.

The sound (Sumbisori) like whistling to get their breath back when they come out surface of the sea shows that how amazing their unique and excellent diving technique as well as astonishing scientific discovery as the result of gaining through their body are. It is close to the sounds made by whale and able to provide fresh air into their body in short seconds with this way. With the changing years, there has been changed in their tools and clothes but they do still the same skill of old way when they gather the sea products.
 The old house where they lived and the hanging round ball-like tube with fishnet (old type) on the stone wall

The Bulteok area--This is the zone Haenyeo are resting at a fireplace after finishing their work, dried their clothes, shared some food and chattered about the daily life and diving skills
The tools for dive
The Teu boat--primitive style of boat used for catching fish, collecting seaweed and transporting haenyeo when they worked in the far distance from the land
 The seafood taken by them became to be sold expensive because it is regarded as valued nature products. As they earned the money much more than before, they send their daughters to the land to educate well and get more comfort life. So, ironically, it became one of the key reasons of fall-of the number of them sharply. Who can dare blame their opinion? For the reasons of hard working condition, sharp decrease of sea products and it is true that these female divers might be disappeared in couples of decades and be left just as the name of old traditional unique culture in this island. The view overlooking the blue sea from the observation rest area on third floor was enough for me to feel deep impression with wild wind and waves they meet every day. How clean and brilliant sky it was!
The small village neighboring to this museum
Those ladies who was born as the daughter of sea, learnt the swimming and diving before knowing what the sea shall imply to their coming life, faced harsh reality and managed to duties of life in assertive attitude. Sincerely, this museum must be small but deep meaningful place dedicate to their great trace of life. Yet the labor song what embrace their plight life seems like to remain in my ears.
*Update>> They are listed on Intangible Cultural heritage of Humanity by UNESCO on NOV2016. 

Operation; 9 AM to 5 PM except on first and third Monday every month and some special holiday. For more details please refer to their official web site.




Your bucket lists for Jeju Island-episode2-Beautiful crystal Beach, South Korea

Your bucket lists for Jeju Island-episode2-Beautiful crystal Beach, South Korea

Who dare can resist this beautiful emerald color of beach in Jeju Island? Nobody can’t help falling in love with white sand, crystal emerald sea water and blue sky in there. The biggest island in South Korea, Jeju Island(제주도), is located in the southwest and far from one hour by plane from the capital Seoul. 


It is said that it was made by several times of volcanic eruption ever since made 700 to 1200 thousand years before. Thanks to mild and warm temperature all the year and specific volcanic activity results, this island has boasted diverse flora, dark gray volcanic rocks and ash soil, clean and awesome emerald color beaches. One reason for the island located far from main land added to result in present culture and nature. It has been well preserved till now and maintained as perfect stunning nature. I’m very pleased to let you introduce these top5 favorite beaches in it. In recent years, 'To live in Jeju Island for a month' has become a popular wish.
1.Hyeopjae Beach(협재해수욕장                                                            
Hyeopjae, literal meaning is the very place filled with the precious charming natural gems, might be the best of the top beaches in this island. Emerald and cobaltic crystal clear water, shallow sea being good for family visitors, white sandy beach containing the shell powder, in particular, dark gray basaltic rocks zone, brilliant blue sky and the tiny islet(Biyangdo island비양도) in front of beach seems like to be easily touch if I stretch hands. 


Biyangdo island from a distance



With all of these perfect matching, this has been much loved since so long times ago and till now. This is located on the west side far away and twenty minutes from Jeju airport. So it always shows gorgeous sunset. Seasonal strong wind in winter time from the northwest annually, has formed sand dune. It was another pleasure for me to stroll pine forest behind sand dune. Tropical Hallim Park(한림공원)next to this, just five minutes on foot, is another tourist attraction too. Don’t miss it, either.  

2.  Iho Tewoo Beach (이호테우 해변)
This is the closest black colored sand and gravel beach on the west bound far from 20 minutes from the airport. Here is also popular for sunset. Jeju island was the specialized area which provided the war horse about since eight hundred years to modern era. Horse is the specialty of this island. The red and white pony lighthouse facing up each other on this beach symbolized its’ unique old horse. Absolutely. These two are actual lighthouse. To my regret, I had to leave this tiny charming beach before lighting at night due to catch my return flight.     
Your bucket lists for Jeju Island-Episode1-Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak(성산일출봉)
  

Your bucket lists for Jeju Island-Episode1-Seongsan Ilchulbong Sunrise Peak(성산일출봉)

Jeju Island(제주도), the most favorite attractions wish to go for Korean as well as foreign traveler inside Korea. According to statistics, there were over 15 million of peoples visited here during last year. In recent years, 'To live in Jeju Island for a month' has become a wannabe life style to Korean. People love its’ unique stunning nature and quite different culture compared with the main land. 
The view of Seongsan ilchulbong(sunrise peak) from the next seashore

Thanks to mild and warm temperature all the year and masterpiece resulted in specific volcanic activity, this island has boasted diverse flora, dark gray volcanic rocks and ash soil, clean and awesome emerald color beaches. This is treasure box of geo-nature. It is said that it was made by several times of volcanic eruption ever since made 700 to 1200 thousand years before. I dare say that the best attractions spot among spectacular beautiful views in this awesome island must be the very right Seongsan Sunrise Peak(성산일출봉,Seongsan ilchulbong). This is situated in the eastern seaboard of Jeju Island. For this reason, spectacular sunrise always was given to the early morning hikers. On each New Year’s here is crowded with lots of people who meet the first sun of the year and make a wish while see the wonderful sunrise.
When I arrived at the morning around 9AM, there were already many peoples in ready to hike this peak. In particular, in spring and fall season, here is always crowded with groups of middle and high school students because they consider this destination as the essential course of a trip for educational aspect together with the Mount Halla. The group youths visited for the experiential learning were busy bustling to take a group picture with peak as the backdrop. There was pleasant and vibrant noise. Temperature of this island is much higher than as main Korea. When I visited there in the beginning of September, the temperature was rather close to the end of summer due to the strong sunlight. I headed for the peak step by step as if I was forced by the power of magnet.
Downside view from almost top
The youth passing me ran just like rocket with loud laughs. They said it takes 50 minutes to one hour enough to climb up and down this small peak. But not me. But not me. My poor body strength. So, I had to stop several times to get my breath back again. To be fortunately, there were proper brief rest zone in the many points. Thanks to break, I'm sure that I could put the beautiful sceneries filled with fine beaches, waves and winds surrounding this peak, unique rocks and diverse flora into my eyes and mind much more than those who went to the peak. The joy of life comes from unexpected moment sometimes.

When I reached the peak, many people were making their memories in their own way. To be frank with you, I was a little disappointed when I saw the peak. It looked like a small football ground slightly hollowed land as if the spaceship touched down there. It was unusual for the top edge to be as sharp as the end of the crown. I came up with my mind for a while that I wanted to run down to that wide ground. This peak was an island at first. As times go by the sands and gravels were flown from the neighboring seashore into this islet and it had resulted in the connection to the main land of Jeju Island exquisitely. As I descended from the summit, it seemed that the narrow and slender beach on the far left of this peak is evident of its' formation. The descending wooden stairs made a harmony with the greens and I had to wait because the pure and marvelous nature were providing the fantastic shooting points to visitors.
FACTS: This is the typical soft tuff cone in the world and provides important formula text about the eruptive and depositional process of hydro-magmatic volcanoes. It said, this was made by the hydro-magmatic eruption of volcano under shallow sea bed, just under the sea about 120 meters in depth, five thousand years before presumably. This peak has vertical cliffs showing diverse inner structures in three sides except west side of it formed by erosive action of the strong winds and waves since ever made. In 2007, Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes became the first site selected for its natural significance by UNESCO. It ranked top 7 in the world superb natural landscape in 2011.

TIPS: The best time to visit Jeju Is. is in the spring or in the fall. Jeju Island has lots of tourist attractions to see and feel. Segmenting it into east, west, south, middle and neighbouring islands is also one of the ways to save your time.